1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sterilizing apparatus and method using high pressure steam, and more particularly to a sterilizing apparatus inserted into a cold or warm water passage of a water dispenser, a purified water passage of a water purifier, a discharge pipe of a beverage bending machine, an air suction unit of an air conditioner and so on to inject a high pressure steam for sterilization, and a sterilizing method using the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a water dispenser supplies water to a user after heating or cooling the water contained in a spring water barrel to a predetermined temperature, and a water purifier purifies a tap water and then supplies the purified water to a user after cooling or heating it to a predetermined temperature. In addition, a beverage bending machine makes a coffee or the like by mixing coffee powder and sugar into water and then supplies the coffee to a user. Also, an air conditioner cools air to a predetermined temperature by passing an indoor air through an evaporator.
As shown in FIG. 1, the water dispenser includes a cold water container 12 for receiving and storing a spring water from a spring water barrel 11, a warm water container 13 for heating the spring water supplied from the cold water container 12 and then supplying the heated water, a cold water valve 14 for selectively drawing out the water supplied from the cold water container 12, and a warm water valve (not shown) for selectively drawing out the water supplied from the warm water container 13. The cold water container 12 is cooled by a coolant supplied from a cooling unit (not shown), and the warm water container is heated by a predetermined heater (not shown).
The water stored in the cold water container 12 is moved to the warm water container 13 through a connection pipe 15. In addition, the water stored in the cold water container 12 is moved to the cold water valve 14 through a cold water pipe 16, and the water stored in the warm water container 13 is moved to the warm water valve through a warm water pipe (not shown). In case of sterilizing or washing the water dispenser, a discharge cork is opened to discharge the water in the water dispenser 10 outward through a discharge pipe 17.
Meanwhile, the inside of the water dispenser 10 is kept at a certain temperature by the heat generated from an evaporator (not shown) of the cooling unit or the heater, which is suitable for habitation of bacteria and virus. Thus, a user should sterilize or clean the water dispenser 10 periodically. In particular, the cold water container 12, the connection pipe 15, the warm water container 13, the cold water pipe 16, the warm water pipe and the discharge pipe 17 are a passage of cold or warm water and thus easily contaminated by bacteria, virus or dust, but it is not easy to sterilize their insides. In the specification, the term ‘passage of warm or cold water’ is defined to include the passage through which cold or warm water passes, including the cold water container 12, the connection pipe 15, the warm water container 13, the cold water pipe 16, the warm water pipe and the discharge pipe 17.
As shown in FIG. 2, a water purifier 10a includes a purified water supplier 11a for purifying a tap water and storing a purified water, a cold water container 12 for cooling the water supplied from the purified water supplier 11a to a predetermined temperature and then storing the cold water, a warm water container 13 for heating the water supplied from the cold water container 12 to a predetermined temperature, a cold water valve 14 for selectively drawing out the water supplied from the cold water supplier 12, and a warm water valve (not shown) for selectively drawing out the water supplied from the warm water container 13. The cold water container 12 is cooled by a coolant supplied from a cooling unit (not shown), and the warm water container 13 is heated by a predetermined heater (not shown).
In addition, the water in the purified water supplier 11a is moved to the cold water container 12 through a supply pipe 12a, and the water in the cold water supplier 12 is moved to the warm water container 13 through a connection pipe 15. The water stored in the cold water container 13 is moved to the cold water valve 14 through a cold water pipe 16, and the water stored in the warm water container 13 is moved to a warm water valve (not shown) through a warm water pipe (not shown). In case of sterilizing or cleaning the water purifier 10a, a discharge cork 17a is opened to discharge the water in the water purifier outward.
Meanwhile, the inside of the water purifier 10a is kept at a certain temperature by the heat generated from an evaporator (not shown) of the cooling unit or the heater, which is suitable for habitation of bacteria and virus, similarly to the inside of the water dispenser 10. Thus, a user should sterilize or clean the water purifier 10a periodically. In particular, the purified water supplier 11a, the supply pipe 12a, the cold water container 12, the connection pipe 15, the warm water container 13, the cold water pipe 16, the warm water pipe and the discharge pipe 17 are a passage of cold or warm water and thus easily contaminated by bacteria, virus or dust, but it is not easy to sterilize their insides. In the specification, the term ‘passage of purified water’ is defined to include the passage through which the purified water passes, including the purified water supplier 11a, the supply pipe 12a, the cold water container 12, the connection pipe 15, the warm water container 13, the cold water pipe 16, the warm water pipe and the discharge pipe 17.
As shown in FIG. 3, the beverage bending machine includes a water supplier 22, a material supplier 23 for supplying coffee powder, sugar and so on, a mixer 24 for mixing coffee powder and sugar with water, and a discharge pipe 27 for discharging a mixed liquid to a cup 25.
Among the components of the beverage bending machine 20, the discharge pipe 27 is exposed to outside and allows the mixed liquid to pass through it, so bacteria and virus may easily inhabit therein. However, the discharge pipe 27 is not easy to sterilize since its side is very narrow and long.
As shown in FIG. 4, the air conditioner includes an air suction unit 32 for sucking in and cooling an external air, a blowing fan 35 for moving a cooled air upward, and an exhaust unit 37 for supplying the upwardly moved air to outside. Among the components of the air conditioner, the air suction unit 32 includes filters 32b, 32c for primarily purifying the air introduced through a suction hole 32a, and an evaporation pipe 32d provided therein for a coolant to pass through it. The air suction unit 32 sucks in an external air through the filters 32b, 32c, and then passes the sucked air among the evaporation pipe 32d to cool the external air to a predetermined temperature. In this embodiment, the term ‘air suction unit’ is defined as a portion of an air condition, which sucks in an external air and the cools it. Meanwhile, the reference numeral 33 indicates a suction louver installed to the suction hole 32a, and the reference numeral 34 is a driving motor for operating the blowing fan 35.
As mentioned above, impurities such as dust is removed when an external air passes through the filters 32b, 32c, and the external air is cooled to a predetermined temperature with passing among the evaporation pipe 32d. Thus, many impurities may be stuck to the filters 32b, 32c and among the evaporation pipe 32d, and various virus and bacteria may easily inhibit therein. However, the evaporation 32b and the filters 32b, 32c are not easily cleaned since they have complicated structure and narrow spaces.